Burrowing owls?

Question

i live in florida and where my sister and brother work their supervisor buried a burrowing owls nest which most likely contained chicks or eggs. is this illegal? i thought they were endangered and at my younger sisters school where there are nests the nests are roped off and people arent allowed to touch them. so would their supervisor be doing something illegal by filling in a nest? should we contact fish and wildlife services?

Answer 1

My neighbor regularly plows under their borrows when he works his fields.  He says it is something that can't really be avoided.

Answer 2

Actually it is illegal.  A species does not have to be endangered.  The burrowing owl is a "species of concern".  All living things a protected one way or another by laws.  The burrowing owl is a protected bird.  Killing it, hurting it, destroying nest are a violation of Florida law.

Habitat destruction is the major cause of wildlife populations reduction and eventual loss.  Florida has had many animals lost to the developer.  A good case history is the gopher tortoise.

Yes, contact Florida Game and Fish.  Before you do get as much info on the incident as possible.  And don't expect immediate results.

http://www.nsis.org/bird/sp/sp-owl.html

BURROWING OWL NEST PROTECTION GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES IN URBAN AREAS(PDF)

myfwc.com/permits/Protected-Wildlife/p...

Answer 3

Yes...this is highly illegal..even if not endangered in your area they are breaking the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Report him...definitely, he will be fined and possibly do jail time.  How was the nest buried?  Was there construction going on?  If so, he was suppossed to hire a biologist from an environmental consultant firm before any construction took place..this is the law.  Usually biologists have to be on site when this sort of work is done.  If this is the case..there are several MORE laws he broke.  You need to contact US Fish and Wildlife Service, as they regulate these laws.

Answer 4

yes do it!

Answer 5

Best as I can tell they are not on the Endangered Species list in Florida.  In North America they are listed as endangered and very protected in Canada.

This doesn't mean your sister's boss is off the hook.  Florida has special considerations for species they consider, "significant and vital to the state's ecology".

Add in the aspect that this falls under what can be deemed as cruelty to animals and he could be in serious trouble.

I'd file a report with the local humane society and the county sheriff's department if you are serious about seeing what can / should be done on this.

What a jerk for doing that anyway.  What the heck was he thinking?

Hope the two sites below help.  Good luck!

Answer 6

From your description and information it is likely that a law protecting an endangered species was indeed violated and , yes , the authorities should be notified ; after all , it is the right thing to do .

Answer 7

All I can say, is that I am discusted that this was done. Burried alive. That is horrible. I think they are protected, those and the burrowing gopher tortoise. You have to have special permits and even then you have to make all attempts to remove and relocate the animals before construction can begin. I think what they did was illegal, but what people dont knwo doesnt hurt them...right? I think good moral would entail you to call florida fish and wilfdlife and/or DNR and repot this possible crime....poor owls...just trying to live their lives, they have every right to live there, they were there first. Animals need more rights to live!